Ladder



(No Model.)

T. B. BENNETT.

LADDER.

- No. 469,534. Patented Feb. 23, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS B. BENNETT, OF ORIOLE, MISSOURI.

LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,534, dated February 23, 1892. Application filed August 12, 1891. Serial No. 402 ,443. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oriole, in the county of Cape Girardeau and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ladders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which 1t appertains to make and use the same.

My invention consists in a portable ladder which is mounted upon a wheeled supporting-frame, so that it can be wheeled from one fruit-tree to another or from one building to another, and my invention will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to 'the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my portable ladder. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective View of the adjusting device.

Referring to the several parts by their designating-numerals, 1 indicates the ladderproper, thialsize of which may of course be varied at W1 2 indicates the rectangular body of the supporting-frame. The forward end 3, forming the axle, is carried upon the supportin gwheels 4 4, while the rear part of the frame is supported upon the legs 5, which have the spurs 6 at their lower ends, for the purpose which will be hereinafter set forth.

The side pieces 3 of the frame 2 are extended at their rear ends to form the handles 2 The lower end of the ladder 1 is pivotally mounted in the rectangular frame 2 on a transverse rod 7 of sufiicient diameter to give it the requisite strength for supporting the weight of the ladder and the person standing thereon. To the sides of the ladder, at a suitable distance from its lower end, is pivoted the upper end of the brace 8, the lower end and outer face of which is provided with the cog-bar 9, while its inner edge rests upon the friction-roller 10, the object of the latter being to hold the cog-bar into engagement with the pinion 11, which is adapted'to reciprocate the cog-bar and the brace to which it is attached, and thus control the inclination of the ladder as will be readily understood.

The pinion 11 is secured to the end of the shaft 12, mounted in bearings 13, affixed to the upper side of the handle 2. Said shaft extends through said bearing and is provided With-the usual crank-handle 14, by which the pinion is revolved, thereby actuating the cogbar and brace.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the ladder can be raised to a vertical or held in an inclined position while in use, and it is not necessary that the upper end of the ladder should be supported by resting against atree or side of a building.

The ladder is placed at the desired angle of inclination by turning the crank-arm 14, and the pinion on the shaft thereof, after first lifting the detent 15 out of engagement with the cogged periphery of said pinion, and permitting said detent to spring back into engagement with the pinion when the adj ustment is effected. The entire device can be readily wheeled from one point to another, so as to conveniently move the ladder from one fruit-tree or other place of use to another. The spurs 6 on the lower ends of the framelegs 5 penetrate the ground and serve as an anchor to prevent the wheeled supportingframe from slipping or moving back while the ladder is being used.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and advantages of my invention will be readily understood.

It will be seen that my new and improved portable ladder is simple and strong in construction and exceedingly convenient in use,

as a boy can readily use it, which, if un-' mounted, would be too heavy for him to carry from one point to another. It can be used for gathering fruit from trees where there is no suitable support for its upper end, as the brace 8 will hold it securely.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the rectangular frame having the end supporting-wheels and the handles, the legs 5, having the spurs 6, the ladder pivotally mounted at its lower end in said supporting-frame, the brace 8, pivoted at its upper end to the ladder and provided at In testimony whereof Iaffix my signaturein its lower end with the cog-bar 9, the pinion presence of two Witnesses. 11, arranged to engage with and actuate said 1 i 4 r1 cog-bar, the detent 15, adapted to hold the ladl HOMAS BENNET 5 der in an adjusted position, and the cranked Witnesses:

arm 14, all arranged and operated substan- E. WITTER, tially as set forth. J AMES J. GIBSON. 

